The Encounter and Confrontation

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the sprawling grounds of the De Altezzo estate. Liaz wandered aimlessly through the dimly lit corridors, his footsteps echoing softly against the marble floors. His mind was heavy with thoughts of his late mother and the uncertain future that lay ahead.

As he turned a corner, Liaz caught sight of his father, Giovanni, engaged in conversation with a striking woman he had never seen before. She exuded an air of confidence and sophistication that commanded attention, and Liaz couldn't help but feel a pang of unease at the sight of her. Standing beside her was a young man, presumably her son, Ray.

Giovanni noticed Liaz approaching and turned to introduce them. "Liaz, this is Rosita," he said, gesturing towards the woman beside him. "She's going to be part of our family now. And this is Ray, her son."

Liaz forced a polite smile, but inside, he felt a wave of resentment building. He had barely begun to process the loss of his mother, and now his father was already moving on with someone new. It felt like a betrayal, a betrayal of his mother's memory and everything they had shared as a family.

Rosita studied Liaz with keen interest, her gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary. "It's nice to meet you, Liaz," she said smoothly, her voice tinged with an underlying edge. "Your father has told me so much about you."

Liaz resisted the urge to bristle at her words. He had a feeling that this woman was going to be trouble, and he wasn't sure how he was going to navigate the turbulent waters ahead.

Tensions simmered in the study as Giovanni, Rosita, Liaz, and Ray gathered around the ornate mahogany table. Liaz could feel the weight of their collective gaze bearing down on him, and he squared his shoulders, steeling himself for the confrontation that was about to unfold.

"Why did you marry her, Father?" Liaz demanded, his voice tinged with anger and frustration. "You barely knew her, and now she's here, turning our lives upside down."

Giovanni sighed heavily, his expression weary. "Liaz, I understand that this is difficult for you," he began, his voice strained. "But Rosita brings stability and security to our lives. She's going to be a part of our family now, whether you like it or not."

Rosita's lips curled into a smug smile, and Liaz felt a surge of anger rising within him. "Stability and security?" he scoffed. "Is that what you call it, Father? What about Mom? What about everything she did for us?"

Giovanni's eyes darkened, and Liaz could see the conflict playing out behind them. "Your mother's death was a tragedy, Liaz, and I miss her every day," he said quietly. "But we have to move forward, for the sake of our family."

Liaz shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his father was so willing to cast aside everything they had shared as a family, all in the name of this new woman and her son.

Weeks passed, and the tension in the De Altezzo household only seemed to grow with each passing day. Liaz found himself increasingly isolated, his relationship with his father strained to its breaking point. Meanwhile, Rosita's influence continued to spread like a poison, casting a dark shadow over their once-happy home.

One fateful evening, as Liaz wandered the halls of the estate lost in thought, he stumbled upon a conversation between Rosita and Giovanni. Their voices drifted through the air, muffled but unmistakable, and Liaz's curiosity got the better of him.

"I've had enough of him, Giovanni," Rosita declared, her voice sharp with frustration. "He's a constant thorn in our side, and it's time we dealt with him once and for all."

Giovanni hesitated, his expression troubled. "I know he can be difficult, Rosita, but he's still my son," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Rosita's eyes flashed with determination. "Your son or not, he's a liability," she insisted. "We can't afford to let sentimentality cloud our judgment any longer. It's time to take action."

Liaz's heart pounded in his chest as he listened to their words, a sense of dread washing over him. He realized then that his worst fears were about to be realized, and he would need to fight with all his strength to survive the storm that was coming.

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